Summary
In the past, even the best anime tended to be rather niche. If they weren’t film-buff favorites likeAkiraandGhost in the Shell, they were Saturday morning fare that got trimmed to bits for localization and censorship purposes. Not that this stopped some old video outlets putting ultra-violent affairs likeNinja ScrollorUrotsukidojinext to the Disney classics.
But now it’s one of the most popular forms of animation out there, with the 2000s seeing a host of shōnen shows likeNarutoandDeath Notebecome mainstays. Then, thanks to the rise of streaming services in the 2010s, viewers could suddenly watch as much anime as they liked, and catch them as soon as they were broadcast-ready. But which anime made a Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV, etc., subscription worth the cost? Whether they excelled in storytelling, animation, cultural impact, or all three, these are the best anime of the 2010s year by year.
2010 saw Studio Ghibli adaptThe Borrowersin their own style withArriety. Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s manga about manga,Bakuman, became an anime about manga.The World God Only Knowsbrought the laughs, whileColorfulopted for a drama about suicide that, while much more sobering, managed to be uplifting without feeling artificial.
It made viewers think, but not as much asThe Tatami Galaxydid. Based on the 2004 novel, its nameless protagonist tries to see how his college life would go across different parallel universes, only for none of them to live up to his expectations. It may be a comedy, but it has a dark psychological edge that makes it a fascinating watch.
2011 ramped things up withTiger & Bunny, a twist on superheroes that was interesting, but not as dark or twisted asPuella Magi Madoka Magica, which hid its plot about galactic conspiracies behind a magical-girl veneer. In contrast,Hunter X Huntergot readapted for a new generation, andHotarubi no Mori Eoffered a must-see if bittersweet short.
But as popular as they are, they didn’t explode in the same waySteins;Gatedid. Though it started off as a video game, its story about avertingpotentially disastrous alternate timelineswhile avoiding its own shadowy cabal arguably exceeded its visual novel origins. The anime clicked with viewers and critics of all stripes, inspiring a range of articles detailing its science, approach to geek culture, and its different themes.
It would be to follow whatever anime won the most awards per year. The lupine family drama ofWolf Childrenwill likely touch more hearts than, say,Sword Art Online. Both came out in 2012, though whileWCgot better critical praise thanSAO, the latter produced an isekai boom that has produced a wide range of follow-ups, rivals, and imitators.
So, it might be surprising for fans of either to seeSpace Brothershere. That’s because, ironically, it’s more down-to-earth thanWCorSAO. Mutta’s goal to make up for his lost youth and join his younger brother Hibito as an astronaut is relatable without being morose, and spectacular without being over the top. The show got plenty of plaudits, but next toSAOand other 2012 anime likeKingdom,Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure,andPsycho-Pass, it feels underrated.
It’s easier to pick winners in some years than in others. LikeSAO,Attack on Titanbecame one of the biggest series of the decade. By its end, it had become a cultural mainstay, being referenced in non-anime media. That’s not to mention its awards and accolades for its story detailing the rise and fall of its ‘hero,’ Eren Yeager. Though that doesn’t mean it didn’t have competition.
The late Isao Takahata arguably produced his best work for Ghibli in 2013 wuth his take onThe Tale of the Princess Kaguya, while Hayao Miyazaki rivaled it withThe Wind Rises.My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFUbecame the best romcom of the year, and the murder-mystery visual novelDanganronpaexploded beyond its PSP origins withDanganronpa: The Animation.
62014: Ping-Pong: The Animation
A Unique Story Told Through a Unique Sport
2014 was a pretty good year for anime. The classic horror mangaParasytewas finally animated asParasyte: The Maxim, andSpace Dandybecame a cult classic.Your Lie in Aprilsmoothed out its manga’s kinks and came close to getting the spot for this year. But it’s hard to deny the power ofPing-Pong: The Animation, as it was a sports anime with a difference.
Peco and Smile’s stories weren’t about struggling to win the next big game like its rivals. It was more about coming to terms with who they were as people, asthey didn’t always win, and didn’t always take their losses well. It’s as much about the psychology of its players as it is about their records. Combine its storytelling with its strong animation, sound, and pacing, and viewers have a visual, aural, and neural treat in one series.
Compared to 2014, 2015 is rather quiet.Dragon Ballcame back asDragon Ball Super, though it wasn’t quite as pristine as the movies that preceded it.Food Warsshonen-ized cooking and combined fine dining with fanservice.Assassination Classroombecame a strong front-runner, as its odd premise was fun and engaging in equal measure. ButOne-Punch Manwas a touch more tantalizing.
ONE’s scrappily doodled webcomic about a superhero who could destroy everything in one hit was partly a comedy of errors and partly a psychological study, as Saitama tries to find fulfillment beyond the strength he gained. While its second season was all right, its first season lived up to Yusuke Murata’s redrawn version of ONE’s comic with its eye for detail and dynamic animation.
2016 became a battlefield of big-name series.Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 4butted heads withMy Hero Academia.Your Name’s bodyswap romantic drama took on the BL smash hitYuri!!! On Ice.The Disastrous Life of Saiki. Ktried to psych-outMob Psycho 100, whileErasedandRe: Zerofought across time and space.
Even so, those shows couldn’t deliver the emotional gut punchA Silent Voiceprovided. Shoya’s redemption for bullying his deaf classmate Shoko is harsh but moving, heavy yet uplifting, and bitter with a sweet aftertaste. Its 130 minutes offer more ofan emotional rollercoaster ridethan many full series, let alone other movies.
2017 offered a few strong contenders.Kino’s Journey-The Beautiful WorldandGirls’ Last Tourwere both charming, melancholic tales.InuyashikiandThe Saga of Tanya the Evillooked into the nature of good and evil.Land of the Lustrousshowed that ‘3D’ didn’t have to be a dirty word in anime, as people have been waiting for it to get a second season ever since it ended.
However, they didn’t offer as much of a curveball asMade in Abyssdid. It looked as cute asGirls’ Last Tour, while beingway more grim. Riko heads into the titular abyss to find out what happened to her mother, with a robot boy called Reg to accompany her. But what she finds borders on bad taste, as the Abyss hides more horrors than its increasingly horrific monsters.
2018 saw several big hitters make their debuts.Golden Kamuy,Wotakoi,Megalo Box,Devilman Crybaby,Pop Team Epic,That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and more are all must-see anime. There’s something for everyone: workplace dramas, gritty tales of retribution, and surreal flights of fantasy.
Hinamatsurioffers practically all their twists and turns in one 12-episode series. Nitta, a yakuza grunt, takes care of a powerful psychic child called Hina. The story offers criminal drama, cutesy comedy antics, surreal sight gags, complex sci-fi, and touching moments as the two bond over time. It’s sweet, silly, and serious.
2019 wasn’t as swamped as 2018, but it had plenty of contenders.Dr Stonemanaged to shonen-ize science. Osamu Tezuka’s classic seriesDororogot remade, andVinland Sagafinally got animated.The Promised Neverlandimpressed worldwide, at least until its second season came along.
Still, shows don’t have to be heavy historical epics or dramas to win out.Kaguya-sama: Love is Warturned courtship into a battle of wits, as Kaguya and Miyuki try to make the other show their feelings first, often to the bemusement of their friends. The show became a sensation, winning awards along withpraise from fans and critics alike, becoming the top show heading into 2020.
